System and Method for Protecting the Heel Area of Footwear

ABSTRACT

An improved system and method for protecting the heel area of footwear is disclosed herein. Specifically, a heel protector system is disclosed. Such heel protector system can comprise a rod member mountable above a welt of a shoe, and a sheet further comprising a curved surface, and a horizontal track along the concave side of the curved surface, wherein said horizontal track connects the sheet to the rod member. In another embodiment, the heel protector system can further comprise a sheet which is replaceable by a second sheet. The second sheet can comprise a second curved surface and a second horizontal track along the concave side of the second curved surface, wherein the second curved horizontal track capable of connecting the second sheet to the rod member.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates to an improved system and method for protectingthe heel area of footwear.

Boots are a preferred footwear around the world for their functionality,durability, style, and comfort. Due to regular use, boots and otherfootwear become cracked, scraped and scratched. Often these scratchmarks are found at the heel of footwear. These types of damage areusually unavoidable since the heel makes contact with various surfaceswhen performing activities, such as driving or working. Visible marks onfootwear can be very unpleasant and can even make new footwear look old.Since damage can occur repeatedly, investment in shoe repair services isboth inevitable and costly. Buying new footwear can also be quiteexpensive.

Consequently, several developments have been made to prevent and protectthe rear end of boots or other footwear from being damaged. One of thepopularly known methods is by applying gels, creams, lotions, or spraysto protect boots. However, this method only protects footwear from minorscratches and stains, as additional protection is required for the partsof the boot more commonly damaged by wear and tear.

Hence, another method was developed to enhance protection on the heelend of the shoe. One of the shoe guard methods previously designed bythe present inventor uses a U-shaped wire rod with a correspondinglyshaped plate. Its plate also includes an outwardly extending bevel,which prevents dirt and other elements from being lodged between theshoe guard and the shoes. Nevertheless, due to the plate's curved shape,this design only covers a small part of the footwear's upper heel andleaves the lower heel exposed to damage. Additionally, the upper edge ofthe sheet uses a protruding edge surface which can still collect smalldirt and/or other small particles. Aside from functional defects, such aprotruding edge surface of the plate may not look aesthetically pleasantagainst the sleek design of footwear. Flaws are also present in thedesign of the method's metallic rod, which uses an extended leg thatbends outwardly. Although the rod may help keep the shoe guard in place,it still causes some damage on boots or any footwear during installationand/or removal due to its cylindrical sharp edges.

As such, it would be useful to have an improved system and method forprotecting the heel of footwear.

SUMMARY

An improved system and method for protecting the heel area of footwearis disclosed herein. Specifically, a heel protector system is disclosed.Such heel protector system can comprise a rod member mountable above awelt of a shoe, and a sheet further comprising a curved surface, and ahorizontal track along the concave side of the curved surface, whereinsaid horizontal track connects the sheet to the rod member. In oneembodiment, the heel protector system can further comprise a sheet whichis replaceable by a second sheet. The second sheet can comprise a secondcurved surface and a second horizontal track along the concave side ofthe second curved surface, wherein the second curved horizontal trackcapable of connecting the second sheet to the rod member.

Additionally, a method for attaching the heel protector is disclosed.The method can comprise a rod member mountable above a welt of a shoe, afirst sheet, further comprising a curved surface, and a horizontal trackalong the concave side of the curved surface, wherein the horizontaltrack connects the first sheet to the rod member. Further, the methodcan comprise the steps of removing the first sheet from the rod member,and connecting a second sheet to the rod member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates a front view of a heel protector.

FIG. 1B illustrates a rear view of a heel protector.

FIG. 2 illustrates the curvature of rearward portion.

FIG. 3 illustrates the design of sheet.

FIG. 4 illustrates how heel protector can be secured to boots.

FIG. 5 illustrates a second sheet.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of heel protector wherein sheet resideswithin the inner curve of rod member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described herein is a system and method for protecting the heel area offootwear. The following description is presented to enable any personskilled in the art to make and use the invention as claimed and isprovided in the context of the particular examples discussed below,variations of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in theart. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actualimplementation are described in this specification. It will beappreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation(as in any development project), design decisions must be made toachieve the designers' specific goals (e.g., compliance with system- andbusiness-related constraints), and that these goals will vary from oneimplementation to another. It will also be appreciated that suchdevelopment effort might be complex and time-consuming, but wouldnevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in thefield of the appropriate art having the benefit of this disclosure.Accordingly, the claims appended hereto are not intended to be limitedby the disclosed embodiments, but are to be accorded their widest scopeconsistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B illustrate a heel protector 100. Heel protector 100can comprise a rod member 101 and a sheet 106. Rod member 101 cancomprise of a pair of slightly inward extending members 102, a pair ofextended members 103 and a rearward portion 104. In one embodiment,extended members 103 can be joined permanently with inward members 102and rearward portion 104, forming a single body. The ends of extendedmembers 103 can be conical in shape to ensure that boots are notscratched and damaged during installation of heel protector 100. In suchembodiment, rod member 101 furthermore can be made from any materialssuch as metal or plastic that can be bent and/or curved inwardly to forma rearward circular-shaped portion 105. As such, rod member 101 cangenerally form a U-shape.

Sheet 106 can comprise side portions 107, a rearward portion 108, upperrearward portion 109, and a curved sheet holder 1010. Further, sheet 106can be made from materials including, but not limited to, thin metal,plastic, or rubber materials. Various types of engravings or otherdesign materials can be decorated in the visible surface of sheet 106.Sheet 106 can be clear, or can have any kind of color and/or textures.Further, the visible outer surface of sheet 106 can be affixed withlogos, and/or brands. The logo or brand can be of a company havingnothing to do with the manufacture, distribution, and/or sale of theheel protector. Hence, heel protector 100 can be used as an effectiveform of advertisement for items other than the heel protector. Suchadvertising can be words, pictures, or a combination of both.

In one embodiment sheet 106 can be permanently attached to rod member101 by a weld with solder, adhesives, and/or other bonding materialsand/or methods. In another embodiment sheet 106 can be removable andeasily detached from rod member 101. In such embodiment, sheet 106 cancomprise a groove that rod member 101 can snap into. As such, sheet 106can be replaceable and/or reusable. In another embodiment sheet 106 androd member 101 can be designed as one single piece of material.

FIG. 2 illustrates the curvature of rearward portion 108. In oneembodiment, the middle curvature of rearward portion 108 can curveslightly inward up to upper rearward portion 109, so that the rear endportion 201 of rod member 101 can be outward of rearward portion 108.Upper rearward portion 108 can be extended upward from rod member 101,allowing sheet 106 to cover a larger rear end portion of a heel. In oneembodiment, sheet 106 can have lower portion 202, which can extenddownward from rod member 101 and add protection to heel portion ofboots. In such embodiment, the rearward of lower portion 202 can beslightly curved inward. In one scenario, the rearward of lower portion202 can extend horizontally and perpendicular to rearwardcircular-shaped portion 105 while in another, lower portion 202 canextend downward and perpendicular to rearward circular-shaped portion105. Lower portion 202 can create a larger space for designs.

FIG. 3 illustrates the design of sheet 106. In one embodiment, the leftand right side portion 107 of sheet 106 can be extended horizontallyfrom rearward circular-shaped portion 105 up to rearward portion 108.From rod member 101, the side portion 107 of sheet 106 slightly cancurve inward and extends upward. As such, side portions 107 of sheet 106do not protrude side portions of rod member 101, and can follow thecontour of footwear.

Moreover, from the upper edges 301 of side portions 107, sheet 106 canform an upward slope towards upper rearward portion 109. In suchembodiment, upper edges 301 can slope slightly upward as it moves toslope portion 302 and then curves slightly upward towards the upper edgeof upper rearward portion 109. In such embodiment, edges 301 and 303 canbe rounded in shape in order to avoid sharp edges that can scratch ordamage the footwear.

Sheet 106 can be extended sideward and upward to permit a largercoverage and protection of the rear end portion of the boots. In oneembodiment, outward bevels that can protrude rod member 101 can beavoided for both a sleeker look and to prevent small particles or dirtfrom collecting on any protruding edges of sheet 106.

FIG. 4 illustrates how heel protector 100 can be secured to boots 400.Footwear 400 can comprise of a welt 401, a sole 402, and an upper bootportion 403. Welt 401 is a strip that normally extends around boots 400.However, welt 401 can extend to create a surface between sole 402 andupper boot portion 403 and allow for rod member 101 to be formed to fitsnugly on top of welt 401.

When attaching heel protector 100 to footwear 400, the U-shaped openingof rod member 101 should face the rear end portion of footwear 400.Thus, rod member 101 can be placed at the surface of welt 501. In oneembodiment, heel protector 100 can be slightly pushed towards footwear400 during installation until rearward portion 108 of sheet 106 touchesthe heel. In such embodiment, the inward extending member 102 can bepushed outwardly, allowing heel protector 100 to slide easily tofootwear 400. Once heel protector 100 is in place, the inward extendingmember 102 returns to its normal form, clasping securely onto the sideportion of footwear 400. Moreover, extended members 104 which can extendand slope outward, can prevent scratching or damaging the footwearduring installation. Rod member 101 can be pressed adjacent to footwear400, and curved sheet holder 1010 can be positioned at the outer surfaceof rod member 101, making rod member 101 slightly visible.

FIG. 5 illustrates a second sheet 501. In an embodiment wherein sheet106 is detachable, second sheet 501 can be used as a replacement forsheet 106. Similarly, second sheet 501 can be configured exactly likesheet 106 and both can be attachable and detachable. Such embodiment ofsecond sheet 501 can be strained inwardly in order to be secured tightlyunto rod member 101. Alternatively, in said embodiment, curved sheetholder 1010 can have an extended member or can form a semi-circle forbetter hold and security unto rod member 101. Additionally, one or moresmall fasteners 502, in such embodiment, can be used to make sure sheet501 is securely in place. The fastener can be any fastener known in theart, such as snaps or hook and loop fasteners.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of heel protector 100 wherein sheet 106resides within the inner curve of rod member 101. In such embodiment,sheet 106 can help prevent rod member from damaging footwear 400 duringinstallation.

Various changes in the details of the illustrated operational methodsare possible without departing from the scope of the following claims.Some embodiments may combine the activities described herein as beingseparate steps. Similarly, one or more of the described steps may beomitted, depending upon the specific operational environment the methodis being implemented in. It is to be understood that the abovedescription is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Forexample, the above-described embodiments may be used in combination witheach other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill inthe art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the inventionshould, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims,along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims areentitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which”are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms“comprising” and “wherein.”

1. A heel protector system comprising a rod member mountable above awelt of a shoe; a sheet, further comprising a curved surface, and ahorizontal track along the concave side of said curved surface, whereinsaid horizontal track connects said sheet to said rod member.
 2. Theheel protector system of claim 1, wherein said sheet is replaceable by asecond sheet, said second sheet comprising a second curved surface and asecond horizontal track along the concave side of said second curvedsurface, wherein said second curved horizontal track capable ofconnecting said second sheet to said rod member.
 3. The heel protectorsystem of claim 1, wherein said sheet extends downward below said rodmember.
 4. The heel protector system of claim 1, wherein said concaveside of said first curved surface permanently connects said sheet tosaid rod member.
 5. The heel protector system of claim 1, in which thecurvature of the sheet slopes upward, further wherein said curvature ofsaid sheet curves upward towards said upper edge of said upper rearwardportion.
 6. The heel protector system of claim 1, wherein said sheetcomprises rounded edges.
 7. The heel protector system of claim 1,wherein said extended rod member ends comprise a conical shape.
 8. Theheel protector system of claim 1, wherein said sheet comprises plastic.9. The heel protector system of claim 1, wherein curved sheet holder ofsheet is permanently bonded to said rod member with bonding materials.10. The heel protector system of claim 13, wherein said bonding materialis a solder.
 11. The heel protector system of claim 13, wherein saidbonding material is an adhesive.
 12. The heel protector system of claim1, wherein said sheet and said rod member are one single piece ofmaterial.
 13. A method for securing a heel protector to a footwearcomprising placing a heel protector on a footwear, said heel protectorcomprising a rod member mountable above a welt of a shoe; a first sheet,further comprising a curved surface, and a horizontal track along theconcave side of said curved surface, wherein said horizontal trackconnects said first sheet to said rod member.
 14. The method of claim 13further comprising the steps removing said first sheet from said rodmember; and connecting a second sheet to said rod member.